Djarum Owner Michael Bambang Hartono Passes Away in Singapore

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The owner of the cigarette company PT Djarum, Michael Bambang Hartono, has passed away today, Thursday (19/3/2026). The man, affectionately known as Michael Hartono, died in Singapore at 1:15 p.m. local time. The news was confirmed by PT Djarum’s Corporate Communication Manager, Budi Darmawan. Michael Hartono is known as the owner of the Djarum tobacco business alongside his brother Robert Budi Hartono. The Hartono family also holds the controlling shares in Bank Central Asia (BCA), Indonesia’s largest private bank, after acquiring it from the Salim family following the 1998 economic crisis. According to Kompas.com records, Michael Bambang Hartono was born in Kudus, Central Java, in 1941. In the 1970s, Bambang expanded the family company into textiles, electronics (PT Hartono Electronic, known for the Polytron brand), furniture (PT Ligna Furniture), building materials, paper, restaurants, and more. In addition to being a businessman, Bambang Hartono was widely known for his love of the card sport of bridge. He was instrumental in including bridge as a sport in the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta-Palembang. The medal bonus he received from the government was donated back for sports development activities.